Discovering A Whole New World of Disney-An October 2013 Photo Safari **Updated 2/20

Hello and welcome! To my DIS friends who have followed my PTR and other TRs to this current edition: Thanks for coming back again! And to all of my new friends: Welcome and let me bring you up to speed about the trip I just completed. This one came to be thanks to a major conference that was taking place in Orlando and just like any dutiful DISer I jumped on the opportunity to visit Mickey and friends ahem, I mean to continue to work on my professional development through the conference.

Normally Disney World is a family affair for me. But since we already had our annual trip planned for upcoming January and since DW nearly ran out of vacation time for this year thanks to a 2 week vacation to South Korea (which you can read all about in my PTR) I made this my very first solo trip to WDW!

So how did my first solo trip turn out? Well thats what this TR is all about and I cant wait to share my experiences with you! The shorter answer is that I completely rediscovered Disney. Through an adult centered experience that was a lot less ride-centric and more on atmosphere AND by looking at Disney through the lens of my camera, it was as if I was visiting WDW for the first time all over again.

It meant no strollers! It meant walking as fast as I want or as I needed to make that FP+ time window! It meant not having to make mandatory restroom pit stops before getting in line for an attraction! It meant not spending 90 minutes at the Dinosaur Boneyard! All kidding aside I did miss having my family with me especially when I was spending time in MK and I cant wait to take them back again in January. At the same time, there were many experiences that I just would not have been able to have with the kids. I am proud to report that I did rack up a decent number of learning credits at the conference. Seriously, I dont think the conference planners had the best educational interests in mind when they decided to hold it so close to Disney. After spending the day time hours here and there at the Orange County Convention Center, I would head into the parks in the late afternoon and evening for some late night wholesome Disney fun. This also meant sleeping an average of 5 hours a night which wasnt a problem thanks to a heavy dose of Disney magic and gallons and gallons of caffeinated beverages.

I think this is a good spot to talk about photography and what it means to me. I absolutely love it and I have Disney to thank for that as well. It all began about a year and a half ago we came back from a wonderful and a magical Disney vacay at the Poly. When we returned home I went through 800 pictures and found only about 200 of them usable. Lots of blurry and dark images which may have worked great for a modern art exhibition but not so much for a family vacation album. I ended up chucking the point and shoot and bought myself an entry level DSLR just so I could get better pictures of the kids. Things really snowballed from there. After lots of reading on the internet coupled with practicing every chance I got and a fairly massive upgrade in camera/lens, my DW can attest (with a slight rolling of the eyes) to the fact that I had become an addict to photography as I continue to learn and improve my skills.

Naturally as plans for this trip began to take place , I looked at this as an opportunity to merge two of my obsessions into one geektastic experience which I unimaginatively called Photo Safari of Disney. My PTR was mostly about putting together a photo safari list with the help of my DIS friends. I did my best to try to get as much as I could so stay tuned to find out which ones I was able to capture.

My trip revolved around photographing Disney. So I thought it would be best if I put together this trip report with a similar structure. I am ditching the tried and true chronological approach of describin the trip since my visit involved a good number of hours at the Convention Center. I know some of you are dying to hear about the time I spent 90 minutes in the Dermatologic Pediatric Fungal Infections and if you want I can email you the play by play or should I say, slide by slide account of this experience.

Instead, Ill try to tell the story behind each group of pictures, the behind the scenes, and what they meant to me during this trip. Honestly thanks to my severely sleep deprived but high on Pixie Dust state of mind, I dont think I could put together a coherent chronologic timeline so this gives me a highfalutin excuse.

So sit back! I hope you enjoy this overblown slide show and Ill try to do my best to make it worth your time! Or at least Ill try to make it a little more interesting than Aunt Betsys vacation slide show of the Grand Canyon. And as a final attempt of shameless promotion Im putting up a handful of photos from this trip as a teaser!

Well you KNOW Dave I'm in since the S Korea trip or shortly before You had me there was no doubt about it; not just for the awesome " I'm taking you right there with me" photography but for the way you paint the experience with your words too Now that we have met, I can tell anyone that hasn't had the pleasure that you are just as warm and down to earth as you are on your reports Happy to have yet another real life nice guy Dis friend

Ruthie ( who can totally relate to the 5 hrs sleep and the gallons of coffee )

Dave, I can't wait to see the rest of this TR. I realize you're a hobby photographer and in the process of getting a side business going, but I have to say that these teaser photos look amazing and very professional. Any of them would look like they belong on the pages of a Disney brochure or book. I really look forward to seeing the rest of what you have!

Hey Dave...followed over from the DisOct group. I'm impressed that you have only started up photography in the last year or so. The pictures I've seen so far are simply amazing. Can't wait to see more!!!

Hi Dave, I'm really looking forward to your report, particularly due to the solo nature of it. I did my very first earlier this year and have a second booked this coming December, so I'm particularly interested in that aspect of your trip.

Not to mention the beyond amazing photos you take. My Good God they're fabulous!!

Well you KNOW Dave I'm in since the S Korea trip or shortly before You had me there was no doubt about it; not just for the awesome " I'm taking you right there with me" photography but for the way you paint the experience with your words too Now that we have met, I can tell anyone that hasn't had the pleasure that you are just as warm and down to earth as you are on your reports Happy to have yet another real life nice guy Dis friend

Ruthie ( who can totally relate to the 5 hrs sleep and the gallons of coffee )

Click to expand...

Ruthie, it was such a pleasure meeting you yesterday! Hopefully we'll get to do again soon not later. Thank you so much for the kind words!

Dave, I can't wait to see the rest of this TR. I realize you're a hobby photographer and in the process of getting a side business going, but I have to say that these teaser photos look amazing and very professional. Any of them would look like they belong on the pages of a Disney brochure or book. I really look forward to seeing the rest of what you have!

Click to expand...

Welcome back Andy! Thank you for the kind words about my pictures! Hopefully the rest of the pictures come out okay as well.